


What Lies in a Painting...

by omnisan



Category: Original Work, The Joy of Painting (TV)
Genre: Internet, Murder, Painting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-11 22:55:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20161468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omnisan/pseuds/omnisan
Summary: You know Bob Ross. You know the chat. One day, someone said, "what if Bob Ross was a serial killer and he painted the places he hid bodies?" and my friend told me to write something about it





	What Lies in a Painting...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [breadisjelly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breadisjelly/gifts).

Red paint slid across his canvas as he decided to begin his sunset painting. In addition to the red, he added orange and yellow to create new shades of the warm colors. Every so often his eyes glanced at the TV screen connected to his computer which allowed for him to easily read what viewers in the chat room were saying. He was streaming on his favorite platform, Not Twitch™, and felt he should communicate with his ever growing following, more so at multiple requests. 

_ How did you already get paint on you, you just started _

_ I can't wait to see how this one turns out _

_ Can we see your face _

He addressed these comments, and the many others, as he saw them. 

“The red paint exploded when I opened it before stream. No big deal, though, it washes off.”

“I would love to see your own paintings, which you can send me through email or any of my social media pages. Remember I showcase a few at the beginning and ending of every stream."

“No, you cannot see my face.”

There was a reason why he chose to never show his face. Not that it mattered much; everyone that followed him knew him by a pseudonym rather than his real name. He didn't want them to be able to make connections and figure out what he did offscreen. It made him chuckle, knowing they were all looking at a very important location, which he was currently painting, but didn't know it's true meaning. 

Victoria Simmons was his unfortunate victim this time. He was currently painting the tree he buried her body by only mere hours ago, before the stream started. He cursed himself silently for being unable to wash all the blood off his hands before starting. Thankfully he was quick to cover it up, claiming it to be paint stains. He was so eager to paint the scene with a breathtaking sunset view. 

His computer chimed with the sound of another donation notification. When he got popular after the few months of streaming, he decided to give the top donator of the stream his painting. It was a way for him to make money and help him move from town to town, allowing him to find more beautiful locations to bury victims. 

His victims were just people he picked off the street, or those that were lured into one of his traps. In tonight's painting, he recalled Victoria, one of the only people he knew their full name. He didn't want to know it. He picked up the belongings of her purse while she was out cold and saw her name across several business cards she carried. 

_ Do you have a girlfriend _

_ What brand of paint do you use  _

He sighed quietly and got back to responding to the many questions and comments. It helped take his mind off his previous acts, so in a sense it was good for him. 

“No, I do not have a girlfriend, and to answer your next question, no, I am not looking for one either.”

“The brands of my paints as well as canvases and brushes are all listed on my about page, although you can recreate any of these paintings in whichever brand paint you prefer. Even cheap children's paint can create a masterpiece if you're willing to try.” 

_ What makes you decide what scene to paint?  _

_ Let him paint what he wants _

_ I'm just saying it's kinda unusual scenes sometimes _

_ Hater _

_ Can we get a mod to kick this guy _

It was always interesting to see the chat having conversations of their own. However, whoever asked that question made him stiffen up. 

_ Did the stream freeze for anyone else _

_ I'm only getting audio _

_ Hello????????????? _

"Sorry everyone, I just had an epiphany for this painting." 

Nice cover up. At least he could be quick sometimes. But there was no way anyone would know, right? No one would be able to connect the dots. His paintings were death scenes, just…prettier. 

"Next I'm going to add—" 

A knock at the door made him pause. Must be the takeout he ordered before stream, though they were a bit early in the delivery this time. His painting wasn't done yet. 

"Sorry everyone, foods here. Give me one moment and I'll be back."

But one moment turned into five minutes, then ten.

_ Where did he go _

_ Did the stream freeze _

An officer walked into the room. He saw the new, unfinished painting then the stream chat. He shook his head.

_ A cop? _

_ Wtf is going on _

The officer looked at the screen, his face being caught on camera and everyone talking about him. He shook his head again before getting on his knees to pull the plug on the computer, ending the stream immediately. The chat had no time to complain because they could no longer type. The chat was closed.

An absurd influx of messages and emails were sent to the faceless painter, but they were never likes or read by him. A hashtag was created on social media, drawing all of his dedicated followers together and bringing in interest from the rest of the people on the internet. What happened to this man? Multiple theories came up and were discussed in forums but never confirmed.

Until one day.

** _Famous Internet Painter Found Guilty of Murder_ **

** _Scenes of Murder were Painted by Popular Live Streaming Painter_ **

Dozens of articles were created, shedding light to the mystery of the sudden disappearance and silence from the painter. All of the paintings he did on stream were found to be connected to him because they were scenes of recent death. They all showed where he buried his murder victims. 

Many people wanted their money back but it was impossible, due to terms of service from the donation website. Instead, many people just burned the paintings or threw them away. Only a few were suspected to have survived, and for a terrible reason. It started a chain reaction. 

  
  
  



End file.
